Water change /maintenence

[Potluck]

Tank looks okay, bga gone but going to do a second dose of chemiclean just need to wait a week to dose again as I just did a 50% water change and I hate doing water changes before it's time, I'll dose it again in 4 days and do my weekly water change on the 6th day, trimmed rotala about 3" from the bottom hopefully rooted stems will start to produce splits then I can cut those back after their grown quadrupling my amount etc etc, I had to increase my fert dosing to 10 ml, my nitrate is literally like 10-15 max, and I'm seeing defiencies like new growth coming in neon lime green with discolored edges, I believe this is nitrogen as from the deficiency chart I looked at but I can't be sure, I'm going to be switching from liquid to dry ferts so I can dose less of some nutes but more of others, I've never had plant defiencies until I added hygro and water wisteria that's not even growing crazy yet which I'm sure once it does I'll see even more defiencies occur, I also can't seem to get my crypt Wendtii reds to get full, I don't know if this is because I'm using inert gravel or if my nutes aren't correct or if I don't have the correct balance if ferts they need but my spiralis grows crazy.

I started dosing 10 ml thrive today instead of 4 ml to see if that helps the defiencies, also going to start dosing equilibrium in a small amount so I don't drastically change my gh which is currently 6 but want to bump It up 2ppm, my tap water is excellent, tds is 36, gh 6 kh 6.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.4
Phosphate 2.8
Nitrate (can't tell looks like maybe 15 added a picture)
Kh in tank 4.5
Gh in tank 6
Tds in tank 148

Light is 62 umol at substrate
Using thrive liquid @ 10 ml starting today

I've been doing plants for 8 months so be gentle

https://youtu.be/MlpgaYZ3eaE

 

[V227]

Very pretty setup. Looks very tranquil.

 

[Potluck]

Very pretty setup. Looks very tranquil.

Thanks bud, still have a long ways to go, gotta get crypts to grow more compact which I have not a clue of why they aren't already [emoji848][emoji848], working in the pearlweed carpet that would go better if my fish didn't keep uprooting them lol

 

[ZxC]

Thanks bud, still have a long ways to go, gotta get crypts to grow more compact which I have not a clue of why they aren't already [emoji848][emoji848], working in the pearlweed carpet that would go better if my fish didn't keep uprooting them lol

I doubt you'll get C. wendtii to grow compact. They are huge plants and typically reproduce via runners (in my experience multiplying them).

You'll be better off with a smaller crypt variety IMO, if you're after a more compact grower.

The rest of the tank looks great though. I agree, boost the gH up a bit and more ferts too. Eventually you'll be able to run that light 100% 10 hours a day.

 

[Potluck]

I doubt you'll get C. wendtii to grow compact. They are huge plants and typically reproduce via runners (in my experience multiplying them).

You'll be better off with a smaller crypt variety IMO, if you're after a more compact grower.

The rest of the tank looks great though. I agree, boost the gH up a bit and more ferts too. Eventually you'll be able to run that light 100% 10 hours a day.

Ty, yeah I thought Wendtii reds got more full but by the time one new leaf grows an Old one needs trimmed, for some reason the older leaves start melting, is there some calculator I use to find out how much equilibrium I dose? The wisteria is still in It's emersed state waiting for that to take off as well as the water sprite, the empty area in the back isn't empty they are tops if my Ludwigia, hoping I can get them to grow without shedding lower leaves if not ill switch over to something else.

 

[ZxC]

Ty, yeah I thought Wendtii reds got more full but by the time one new leaf grows an Old one needs trimmed, for some reason the older leaves start melting, is there some calculator I use to find out how much equilibrium I dose? The wisteria is still in It's emersed state waiting for that to take off as well as the water sprite, the empty area in the back isn't empty they are tops if my Ludwigia, hoping I can get them to grow without shedding lower leaves if not ill switch over to something else.

Rotala butterfly should help with Equilibrium

 

[Potluck]

Rotala butterfly should help with Equilibrium

I'm trying to increase my gh not k, calcium, magnesium potassium is what im adding it for, with adding those my gh will go up so I'm not sure how to calculate it on rotala as it only has K value.

 

[Delapool]

Are you running CO2 at all?

 

[ZxC]

I'm trying to increase my gh not k, calcium, magnesium potassium is what im adding it for, with adding those my gh will go up so I'm not sure how to calculate it on rotala as it only has K value.

Here you go:

Directions
To raise mineral content/general hardness (GH) by 1 meq/L (3 dH), add 16 g (1 tablespoon) for every 80 L (20 US gallons) when setting up an aquarium or when making water changes (add to new water). For optimum solubility we recommend mixing with 1 L (1 qt.) of water (the resulting mixture will have a white opaque appearance). When this mixture is added to the aquarium it will impart a slight haze that should clear within 15–30 minutes. HINTS: Do not use Equilibrium™ when replacing evaporated water. This dose is based on DI or RO water; for other water, measure hardness (GH) first, then add according to need. For precise dosing, use the Seachem Digital Spoon Scale.

 

[Potluck]

Are you running CO2 at all?

Nope no co2 what so ever just light, and thrive

 

[Potluck]

Here you go:

Directions
To raise mineral content/general hardness (GH) by 1 meq/L (3 dH), add 16 g (1 tablespoon) for every 80 L (20 US gallons) when setting up an aquarium or when making water changes (add to new water). For optimum solubility we recommend mixing with 1 L (1 qt.) of water (the resulting mixture will have a white opaque appearance). When this mixture is added to the aquarium it will impart a slight haze that should clear within 15–30 minutes. HINTS: Do not use Equilibrium[emoji769] when replacing evaporated water. This dose is based on DI or RO water; for other water, measure hardness (GH) first, then add according to need. For precise dosing, use the Seachem Digital Spoon Scale.

So 55 gallon would still be around 5 tablespoons, or does it go by actual water volume as I only have 45 gallons total water

 

[ZxC]

20 gallons x 1 tablespoon = 1 meq/L = 3dgH

20 x 2 = 40

2 tablespoons x 40 gallons = 1 meq/L = 3dgH

3 dgH is a good place to start. So dose maybe 1/4-1/2 tablespoon x 4 over 4-8 days to get the 3 degrees of gH added

 

[Potluck]

20 gallons x 1 tablespoon = 1 meq/L = 3dgH

20 x 2 = 40

2 tablespoons x 40 gallons = 1 meq/L = 3dgH

3 dgH is a good place to start. So dose maybe 1/4-1/2 tablespoon x 4 over 4-8 days to get the 3 degrees of gH added

I'm so actually confused right now [emoji23][emoji23] I'm New to this demmit ha ha, I just want to raise it by 2, but not to fast as I don't know how it will affect my fish and pH, my pH is already 7.4 dont want it to start fluctuating (if it will), does dosing go by tank size or actual volume of water?

 

[Potluck]

You said 1/4-1/2 tablespoon x4 over 8 days do you mean 1/4-1/2 x 4 per day? Or 1/4-1/2 x1 every day?

 

[ZxC]

Edit, this was a double post.

 

[ZxC]

It goes by volume of water.

1 table spoon in 40 gallons gives you 1.5dgH.

So 1 tablespoon divided by 4 days = one quarter tablespoon per day.

4 days of 1/4 = 1 tablespoon which gives you 1.5 dgH increase.

For rounded errors 1.5 dgH / 4 = roughly 0.4 so a total of 5 doses of 1/4 tablespoon will get you close to 2 dgH

 

[Potluck]

It goes by volume of water.

1 table spoon in 40 gallons gives you 1.5dgH.

So 1 tablespoon divided by 4 days = one quarter tablespoon per day.

4 days of 1/4 = 1 tablespoon which gives you 1.5 dgH increase.

For rounded errors 1.5 dgH / 4 = roughly 0.4 so a total of 5 doses of 1.4 tablespoon will get you close to 2 dgH

Ahh okay I was like 1/4 tablespoon x4 per day, why not just 1 full tablespoon lol, I'm half out of it been a very very long 2 weeks with my dad getting sick so I have a few days to tend to the tank, he's okay just gets bad vertigo that makes him sick (throwing up) with an aneurysm which the pressure is bad for. Thanks for the help, this won't hurt the fish will it, and on my water change day do I go back to 1/4 x 4 days or just dose for what im adding back in

 

[ZxC]

Ahh okay I was like 1/4 tablespoon x4 per day, why not just 1 full tablespoon lol, I'm half out of it been a very very long 2 weeks with my dad getting sick so I have a few days to tend to the tank, he's okay just gets bad vertigo that makes him sick (throwing up) with an aneurysm which the pressure is bad for. Thanks for the help, this won't hurt the fish will it, and on my water change day do I go back to 1/4 x 4 days or just dose for what im adding back in

I would start right after a water change, so you should be boosted 2dgH by the time it comes around to doing another water change. Then you simply boost your new water by 2 dgH and you are set.

 

[Potluck]

I would start right after a water change, so you should be boosted 2dgH by the time it comes around to doing another water change. Then you simply boost your new water by 2 dgH and you are set.

Did my water change yesterday at 50%, so on my next water change I'm Only dosing new water going back into the tank?

 

[ZxC]

Did my water change yesterday at 50%, so on my next water change I'm Only dosing new water going back into the tank?

Well no, slowly rise the gH in the tank to where you want it initially, then you dose only the new water (up to the gH you want) and it will always stay consistent at that level.

Do not dose any top off water.